Virtual vision system

ABSTRACT

A context based augmented reality system can be used to display augmented reality elements over a live video feed on a client device. The augmented reality elements can be selected based on a number of context inputs generated by the client device. The context inputs can include location data of the client device and location data of nearby physical places that have preconfigured augmented elements. The preconfigured augmented elements can be preconfigured to exhibit a design scheme of the corresponding physical place.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/467,693, entitled “Context Based Augmented RealitySystem,” filed on Mar. 6, 2017, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to generatinginteractive content and, more particularly, but not by way oflimitation, to a context based computer vision system.

BACKGROUND

Digital devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops) can be used asnavigation devices to display locations of physical places (e.g.,restaurants, stores). However, such displays often lack interactivityand customization, which results in poor user experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THIS DRAWINGS

To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act, themost significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to thefigure (“FIG.”) number in which that element or act is first introduced.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example messaging system forexchanging data (e.g., messages and associated content) over a network.

FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating further details regarding amessaging system having an integrated virtual object machine learningsystem, according to example embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data which may be stored in adatabase of a messaging server system, according to certain exampleembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message,according to some embodiments, generated by a messaging clientapplication for communication.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example access-limitingprocess, in terms of which access to content (e.g., an ephemeralmessage, and associated multimedia payload of data) or a contentcollection (e.g., an ephemeral message story) may be time-limited (e.g.,made ephemeral).

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing example components provided within thesystem of FIG. 1, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method for implementing the virtualvision system, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a method for selecting a lens object,according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for determining geographic data,according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of a method for determine context data,according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 11 shows a flow diagram of a method for determining a lens object,according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 12A-12B show example user interfaces for implementing a headingrelated lens object, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 13 shows an example user interface for implementing an outdoorsrelated lens objected, according to some example embodiments.

FIG. 14 shows an example user interface for implementing a variation ofa physical place related lens object, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 15 shows an example user interface for implementing a variation ofa physical place related lens object, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 16 shows an example user interface for implementing a variation ofa depicted item related lens object, according to some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a representative softwarearchitecture, which may be used in conjunction with various hardwarearchitectures herein described.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine,according to some example embodiments, able to read instructions from amachine-readable medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage medium) andperform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The description that follows includes systems, methods, techniques,instruction sequences, and computing machine program products thatembody illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. In the followingdescription, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific detailsare set forth in order to provide an understanding of variousembodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident,however, to those skilled in the art, that embodiments of the inventivesubject matter may be practiced without these specific details. Ingeneral, well-known instruction instances, protocols, structures, andtechniques are not necessarily shown in detail.

Digital devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops) can be used asnavigation devices to display locations of physical places (e.g.,restaurants, arenas), however, such displays often lack interactivityand customization which results in poor user experience. To improve userexperience, a context based augmented reality (AR) system can be used todisplay custom display elements on a live feed (e.g., video stream) thatare based on the context of a given user's situation and geographiclocation. Although a live video feed is discussed below, it isappreciated that the lens data can be selected for overlay over singleimages in a similar manner.

According to some example embodiments, the user can use an applicationon his/her phone client device to view live video being captured by abackside camera of the phone. The video is dynamically captured anddisplayed on the screen of the phone. The application then determinesthe context of the user by analyzing the current time of day, the user'sgeographic location, recognized items being displayed in the live feed,audio data of the user's environment; and/or other data (e.g., Winaccess, Bluetooth® beacon data) to select a lens for display on the livefeed. The lens is a video filter that overlays display elements on thelive feed. The display elements may be custom to the general area inwhich the user is located (e.g., a city, a mall with many stores), thesub-area location of the user (e.g., a certain store within a mall), orcustom to nearby locations. The nearby locations are physical places forwhich a lens has been created and associated, as is discussed in furtherdetail below. In this way, the user can use his/her phone to view theworld through the live feed and load location specific or physical placespecific lenses based on the user's context with very little to no userinput.

The term lens object (e.g. lens virtual object) refers to a package ofdata or virtual object (e.g., instantiation of a class) that eitherincludes or references data specific to a given lens object. Data isincluded when it is stored with the lens object, whereas data isreferenced by giving an address at which the data can be retrieved(e.g., over a network, locally on the client device). The data includedor referenced may include preconfigured elements (e.g., text, avatars,cartoons, arrows), associations with specific context parameters (e.g.,time, recognized items, general areas, sub-areas thereof). Theassociations with specific context parameters can be used to select agiven lens object. For example, a lens object may specify that it is alens object for a given city, and can be selected for use when theclient device 102 is in the given city (e.g., OPS data indicates theclient device 102 is in the given city). Further examples ofpreconfigured display elements are shown with reference to the userinterfaces below.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example messaging system 100 forexchanging data (e.g., messages and associated content) over a network.The messaging system 100 includes multiple client devices 102, each ofwhich hosts a number of applications including a messaging clientapplication 104. Each messaging client application 104 iscommunicatively coupled to other instances of the messaging clientapplication 104 and a messaging server system 108 via a network 106(e.g., the Internet).

Accordingly, each messaging client application 104 is able tocommunicate and exchange data with another messaging client application104 and with the messaging server system 108 via the network 106. Thedata exchanged between messaging client applications 104, and between amessaging client application 104 and the messaging server system 108,includes functions (e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well aspayload data (e.g., text, audio, video, or other multimedia data).

The messaging server system 108 provides server-side functionality viathe network 106 to a particular messaging client application 104. Whilecertain functions of the messaging system 100 are described herein asbeing performed by either a messaging client application 104 or by themessaging server system 108, it will be appreciated that the location ofcertain functionality within either the messaging client application 104or the messaging server system 108 is a design choice. For example, itmay be technically preferable to initially deploy certain technology andfunctionality within the messaging server system 108, but to latermigrate this technology and functionality to the messaging clientapplication 104 where a client device 102 has a sufficient processingcapacity.

The messaging server system 108 supports various services and operationsthat are provided to the messaging client application 104. Suchoperations including transmitting data to, receiving data from, andprocessing data generated by the messaging client application 104. Thisdata may include message content, client device information, geolocationinformation, media annotation and overlays, message content persistenceconditions, social network information, and live event information, asexamples. Data exchanges within the messaging system 100 are invoked andcontrolled through functions available via user interfaces (UIs) of themessaging client application 104.

Turning now specifically to the messaging server system 108, anapplication programming interface (API) server 110 is coupled to, andprovides a programmatic interface to, an application server 112. Theapplication server 112 is communicatively coupled to a database server118, which facilitates access to a database 120 in which is stored dataassociated with messages processed by the application server 112.

The API server 110 receives and transmits message data (e.g., commandsand message payloads) between the client devices 102 and the applicationserver 112. Specifically, the API server 110 provides a set ofinterfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that can be called or queriedby the messaging client application 104 in order to invoke functionalityof the application server 112. The API server 110 exposes variousfunctions supported by the application server 112, including accountregistration; login functionality; the sending of messages, via theapplication server 112, from a particular messaging client application104 to another messaging client application 104; the sending of mediafiles (e.g., images or video) from a messaging client application 104 toa messaging server application 114 for possible access by anothermessaging client application 104; the setting of a collection of mediadata (e.g., a story); the retrieval of such collections; the retrievalof a list of friends of a user of a client device 102; the retrieval ofmessages and content; the adding and deletion of friends to and from asocial graph; the location of friends within the social graph; andopening application events (e.g., relating to the messaging clientapplication 104).

The application server 112 hosts a number of applications andsubsystems, including the messaging server application 114, an imageprocessing system 116, and a social network system 122. The messagingserver application 114 implements a number of message-processingtechnologies and functions, particularly related to the aggregation andother processing of content (e.g., textual and multimedia content)included in messages received from multiple instances of the messagingclient application 104. As will be described in further detail, the textand media content from multiple sources may be aggregated intocollections of content (e.g., called stories or galleries). Thesecollections are then made available, by the messaging server application114, to the messaging client application 104. Other processor- andmemory-intensive processing of data may also be performed server-side bythe messaging server application 114, in view of the hardwarerequirements for such processing.

The application server 112 also includes the image processing system116, which is dedicated to performing various image processingoperations, typically with respect to images or video received withinthe payload of a message at the messaging server application 114.

The social network system 122 supports various social networkingfunctions and services, and makes these functions and services availableto the messaging server application 114. To this end, the social networksystem 122 maintains and accesses an entity graph (e.g., entity graph304 in FIG. 11) within the database 120. Examples of functions andservices supported by the social network system 122 include theidentification of other users of the messaging system 100 with whom aparticular user has relationships or whom the particular user is“following”, and also the identification of other entities and interestsof a particular user.

The application server 112 is communicatively coupled to a databaseserver 118, which facilitates access to a database 120 in which isstored data associated with messages processed by the messaging serverapplication 114.

FIG. 2 is block diagram illustrating further details regarding themessaging system 100, according to example embodiments. Specifically,the messaging system 100 is shown to comprise the messaging clientapplication 104 and the application server 112, which in turn embody anumber of subsystems, namely an ephemeral timer system 202, a collectionmanagement system 204, an annotation system 206, and a virtual visionsystem 210.

The ephemeral timer system 202 is responsible for enforcing thetemporary access to content permitted by the messaging clientapplication 104 and the messaging server application 114. To this end,the ephemeral timer system 202 incorporates a number of timers that,based on duration and display parameters associated with a message orcollection of messages (e.g., a SNAPCHAT Story), selectively display andenable access to messages and associated content via the messagingclient application 104. Further details regarding the operation of theephemeral timer system 202 are provided below.

The collection management system 204 is responsible for managingcollections of media (e.g., collections of text, image, video, and audiodata). In some examples, a collection of content (e.g., messages,including images, video, text, and audio) may be organized into an“event gallery” or an “event story”. Such a collection may be madeavailable for a specified time period, such as the duration of an eventto which the content relates. For example, content relating to a musicconcert may be made available as a “story” for the duration of thatmusic concert. The collection management system 204 may also beresponsible for publishing an icon that provides notification of theexistence of a particular collection to the user interface of themessaging client application 104.

The collection management system 204 furthermore includes a curationinterface 208 that allows a collection manager to manage and curate aparticular collection of content. For example, the curation interface208 enables an event organizer to curate a collection of contentrelating to a specific event (e.g., delete inappropriate content orredundant messages). Additionally, the collection management system 204employs machine vision (or image recognition technology) and contentrules to automatically curate a content collection. In certainembodiments, compensation may be paid to a user for inclusion ofuser-generated content into a collection. In such cases, the curationinterface 208 operates to automatically make payments to such users forthe use of their content.

The annotation system 206 provides various functions that enable a userto annotate or otherwise modify or edit media content associated with amessage. For example, the annotation system 206 provides functionsrelated to the generation and publishing of media overlays for messagesprocessed by the messaging system 100. The annotation system 206operatively supplies a media overlay (e.g., a. SNAPCHAT Geofilter orfilter to the messaging client application 104 based on a geolocation ofthe client device 102. In another example, the annotation system 206operatively supplies a media overlay to the messaging client application104 based on other information, such as social network information ofthe user of the client device 102. A media overlay may include audio andvisual content and visual effects. Examples of audio and visual contentinclude pictures, text, logos, animations, and sound effects. An exampleof a visual effect includes color overlaying. The audio and visualcontent or the visual effects can be applied to a media content item(e.g., a photo) at the client device 102. For example, the media overlayincludes text that can be overlaid on top of a photograph generated bythe client device 102. In another example, the media overlay includes anidentification of a location (e.g., Venice Beach), a name of a liveevent, or a name of a merchant (e.g., Beach Coffee House). In anotherexample, the annotation system 206 uses the geolocation of the clientdevice 102 to identify a media overlay that includes the name of amerchant at the geolocation of the client device 102. The media overlaymay include other indicia associated with the merchant. The mediaoverlays may be stored in the database 120 and accessed through thedatabase server 118.

In one example embodiment, the annotation system 206 provides auser-based publication platform that enables users to select ageolocation on a map, and upload content associated with the selectedgeolocation. The user may also specify circumstances under whichparticular content should be offered to other users. The annotationsystem 206 generates a media overlay that includes the uploaded contentand associates the uploaded content with the selected geolocation.

In another example embodiment, the annotation system 206 provides amerchant-based publication platform that enables merchants to select aparticular media overlay associated with a geolocation via a biddingprocess. For example, the annotation system 206 associates the mediaoverlay of a highest-bidding merchant with a corresponding geolocationfor a predefined amount of time.

The virtual vision system 210 manages tracking an object in differentimages, according to some example embodiments. Further details of thevirtual vision system 210 are discussed below with reference to FIGS.6-16. Although the virtual vision system 210 is illustrated in FIG. 2 asbeing integrated into the messaging client application 104, it isappreciated that in some example embodiments, the virtual vision system210 is integrated into other systems, such as the application server112. Further, in some example embodiments, some engines of the virtualvision system 210 may be integrated into the application server 112(e.g., to provide server-side support for client-side requests) and someof the engines may be integrated into the client device 102 (e.g., togenerate the client-side requests).

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data 300 which may be storedin the database 120 of the messaging server system 108, according tocertain example embodiments. While the content of the database 120 isshown to comprise a number of tables, it will be appreciated that thedata could be stored in other types of data structures (e.g., as anobject-oriented database).

The database 120 includes message data stored within a message table314. An entity table 302 stores entity data, including an entity graph304. Entities for which records are maintained within the entity table302 may include individuals, corporate entities, organizations, objects,places, events, etc. Regardless of type, any entity regarding which themessaging server system 108 stores data may be a recognized entity. Eachentity is provided with a unique identifier, as well as an entity typeidentifier (not shown).

The entity graph 304 furthermore stores information regardingrelationships and associations between or among entities. Suchrelationships may be social, professional (e.g., work at a commoncorporation or organization), interest-based, or activity-based, forexample.

The database 120 also stores annotation data, in the example form offilters, in an annotation table 312. Filters for which data is storedwithin the annotation table 312 are associated with and applied tovideos (for which data is stored in a video table 310) and/or images(for which data is stored in an image table 308). Filters, in oneexample, are overlays that are displayed as overlaid on an image orvideo during presentation to a recipient user. Filters may be of varioustypes, including user-selected filters from a gallery of filterspresented to a sending user by the messaging client application 104 whenthe sending user is composing a message. Other types of filters includegeolocation filters (also known as geo-filters) which may be presentedto a sending user based on geographic location. For example, geolocationfilters specific to a neighborhood or special location may be presentedwithin a user interface by the messaging client application 104, basedon geolocation information determined by a Global Positioning System(GPS) unit of the client device 102. Another type of filter is a datafilter, which may be selectively presented to a sending user by themessaging client application 104, based on other inputs or informationgathered by the client device 102 during the message creation process.Examples of data filters include a current temperature at a specificlocation, a current speed at which a sending user is traveling, abattery life for a client device 102, or the current time.

Other annotation data that may be stored within the image table 308 isso-called “lens” data. A “lens” may be a real-time special effect andsound that may be added to an image or a video.

As mentioned above, the video table 310 stores video data which, in oneembodiment, is associated with messages for which records are maintainedwithin the message table 314. Similarly, the image table 308 storesimage data associated with messages for which message data is stored inthe message table 314. The entity table 302 may associate variousannotations from the annotation table 312 with various images and videosstored in the image table 308 and the video table 310.

A story table 306 stores data regarding collections of messages andassociated image, video, or audio data, which are compiled into acollection (e.g., a SNAPCHAT Story or a gallery). The creation of aparticular collection may be initiated by a particular user (e.g., eachuser for whom a record is maintained in the entity table 302). A usermay create a “personal story” in the form of a collection of contentthat has been created and sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, theuser interface of the messaging client application 104 may include anicon that is user-selectable to enable a sending user to add specificcontent to his or her personal story.

A collection may also constitute a “live story”, which is a collectionof content from multiple users that is created manually, automatically,or using a combination of manual and automatic techniques. For example,a “live story” may constitute a curated stream of user-submitted contentfrom various locations and events. Users whose client devices 102 havelocation services enabled and are at a common location or event at aparticular time may, for example, be presented with an option, via auser interface of the messaging client application 104, to contributecontent to a particular live story. The live story may be identified tothe user by the messaging client application 104, based on his or herlocation. The end result is a “live story” told from a communityperspective.

A further type of content collection is known as a “location story”,which enables a user whose client device 102 is located within aspecific geographic location (e.g., on a college or university campus)to contribute to a particular collection. In some embodiments, acontribution to a location story may require a second degree ofauthentication to verify that the end user belongs to a specificorganization or other entity (e.g., is a student on the universitycampus).

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message 400,according to some embodiments, generated by a messaging clientapplication 104 for communication to a further messaging clientapplication 104 or the messaging server application 114. The content ofa particular message 400 is used to populate the message table 314stored within the database 120, accessible by the messaging serverapplication 114. Similarly, the content of a message 400 is stored inmemory as “in-transit” or “in-flight” data of the client device 102 orthe application server 112. The message 400 is shown to include thefollowing components:

-   -   A message identifier 402: a unique identifier that identifies        the message 400.    -   A message text payload 404: text, to be generated by a user via        a user interface of the client device 102 and that is included        in the message 400.    -   A message image payload 406: image data captured by a camera        component of a client device 102 or retrieved from memory of a        client device 102, and that is included in the message 400.    -   A message video payload 408: video data captured by a camera        component or retrieved from a memory component of the client        device 102, and that is included in the message 400.    -   A message audio payload 410: audio data captured by a microphone        or retrieved from the memory component of the client device 102,        and that is included in the message 400.    -   Message annotations 412: annotation data (e.g., filters,        stickers, or other enhancements) that represents annotations to        be applied to the message image payload 406, message video        payload 408, or message audio payload 410 of the message 400.    -   A message duration parameter 414: a parameter value indicating,        in seconds, the amount of time for which content of the message        400 (e.g., the message image payload 406, message video payload        408, and message audio payload 410) is to be presented or made        accessible to a user via the messaging client application 104.    -   A message geolocation parameter 416: geolocation data (e.g.,        latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates) associated with the        content payload of the message 400. Multiple message geolocation        parameter 416 values may be included in the payload, each of        these parameter values being associated with respective content        items included in the content (e.g., a specific image in the        message image payload 406, or a specific video in the message        video payload 408).    -   A message story identifier 418: identifies values identifying        one or more content collections (e.g., “stories”) with which a        particular content item in the message image payload 406 of the        message 400 is associated. For example, multiple images within        the message image payload 406 may each be associated with        multiple content collections using identifier values.    -   A message tag 420: one or more tags, each of which is indicative        of the subject matter of content included in the message        payload. For example, where a particular image included in the        message image payload 406 depicts an animal (e.g., a lion), a        tag value may be included within the message tag 420 that is        indicative of the relevant animal. Tag values may be generated        manually, based on user input, or may be automatically generated        using, for example, image recognition.    -   A message sender identifier 422: an identifier (e.g., a        messaging system identifier, email address, or device        identifier) indicative of a user of the client device 102 on        which the message 400 was generated and from which the message        400 was sent.    -   A message receiver identifier 424: an identifier (e.g., a        messaging system identifier, email address, or device        identifier) indicative of a user of the client device 102 to        which the message 400 is addressed.

The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of the message 400may be pointers to locations in tables within which content data valuesare stored. For example, an image value in the message image payload 406may be a pointer to (or address a location within the image table 308.Similarly, values within the message video payload 408 may point to datastored within the video table 310, values stored within the messageannotations 412 may point to data stored in the annotation table 312,values stored within the message story identifier 418 may point to datastored in the story table 306, and values stored within the messagesender identifier 422 and the message receiver identifier 424 may pointto user records stored within the entity table 302.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an access-limiting process500, in terms of which access to content (e.g., an ephemeral message502, and associated multimedia payload of data) or a content collection(e.g., an ephemeral message story 504) may be time-limited (e.g., madeephemeral).

An ephemeral message 502 is shown to be associated with a messageduration parameter 506, the value of which determines an amount of timethat the ephemeral message 502 will be displayed to a receiving user ofthe ephemeral message 502 by the messaging client application 104. Inone embodiment, where the messaging client application 104 is a SNAPCHATapplication client, an ephemeral message 502 is viewable by a receivinguser for up to a maximum of 10 seconds, depending on the amount of timethat the sending user specifies using the message duration parameter506.

The message duration parameter 506 and the message receiver identifier424 are shown to be inputs to a message timer 512, which is responsiblefor determining the amount of time that the ephemeral message 502 isshown to a particular receiving user identified by the message receiveridentifier 424. In particular, the ephemeral message 502 will only beshown to the relevant receiving user for a time period determined by thevalue of the message duration parameter 506. The message timer 512 isshown to provide output to a more generalized ephemeral timer system202, which is responsible for the overall timing of display of content(e.g., an ephemeral message 502) to a receiving user.

The ephemeral message 502 is shown in FIG. 5 to be included within anephemeral message story 504 (e.g., a personal SNAPCHAT Story, or anevent story). The ephemeral message story 504 has an associated storyduration parameter 508, a value of which determines a time duration forwhich the ephemeral message story 504 is presented and accessible tousers of the messaging system 100. The story duration parameter 508, forexample, may be the duration of a music concert, where the ephemeralmessage story 504 is a collection of content pertaining to that concert.Alternatively, a user (either the owning user or a curator user) mayspecify the value for the story duration parameter 508 when performingthe setup and creation of the ephemeral message story 504.

Additionally, each ephemeral message 502 within the ephemeral messagestory 504 has an associated story participation parameter 510, a valueof which determines the duration of time for which the ephemeral message502 will be accessible within the context of the ephemeral message story504. Accordingly, a particular ephemeral message 502 may “expire” andbecome inaccessible within the context of the ephemeral message story504, prior to the ephemeral message story 504 itself expiring in termsof the story duration parameter 508. The story duration parameter 508,story participation parameter 510, and message receiver identifier 424each provide input to a story timer 514, which operationally determineswhether a particular ephemeral message 502 of the ephemeral messagestory 504 will be displayed to a particular receiving user and, if so,for how long. Note that the ephemeral message story 504 is also aware ofthe identity of the particular receiving user as a result of the messagereceiver identifier 424.

Accordingly, the story timer 514 operationally controls the overalllifespan of an associated ephemeral message story 504, as well as anindividual ephemeral message 502 included in the ephemeral message story504. In one embodiment, each and every ephemeral message 502 within theephemeral message story 504 remains viewable and accessible for a timeperiod specified by the story duration parameter 508. In a furtherembodiment, a certain ephemeral message 502 may expire, within thecontext of the ephemeral message story 504, based on a storyparticipation parameter 510. Note that a message duration parameter 506may still determine the duration of time for which a particularephemeral message 502 is displayed to a receiving user, even within thecontext of the ephemeral message story 504. Accordingly, the messageduration parameter 506 determines the duration of time that a particularephemeral message 502 is displayed to a receiving user, regardless ofwhether the receiving user is viewing that ephemeral message 502 insideor outside the context of an ephemeral message story 504.

The ephemeral timer system 202 may furthermore operationally remove aparticular ephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral message story 504based on a determination that it has exceeded an associated storyparticipation parameter 510. For example, when a sending user hasestablished a story participation parameter 510 of 24 hours fromposting, the ephemeral timer system 202 will remove the relevantephemeral message 502 from the ephemeral message story 504 after thespecified 24 hours. The ephemeral timer system 202 also operates toremove an ephemeral message story 504 either when the storyparticipation parameter 510 for each and every ephemeral message 502within the ephemeral message story 504 has expired, or when theephemeral message story 504 itself has expired in terms of the storyduration parameter 508.

In certain use cases, a creator of a particular ephemeral message story504 may specify an indefinite story duration parameter 508. In thiscase, the expiration of the story participation parameter 510 for thelast remaining ephemeral message 502 within the ephemeral message story504 will determine when the ephemeral message story 504 itself expires.In this case, a new ephemeral message 502, added to the ephemeralmessage story 504, with a new story participation parameter 510,effectively extends the life of an ephemeral message story 504 to equalthe value of the story participation parameter 510.

In response to the ephemeral timer system 202 determining that anephemeral message story 504 has expired (e.g., is no longer accessible),the ephemeral tinier system 202 communicates with the messaging system100 (e.g., specifically, the messaging client application 104) to causean indicium (e.g., an icon) associated with the relevant ephemeralmessage story 504 to no longer be displayed within a user interface ofthe messaging client application 104. Similarly, when the ephemeraltimer system 202 determines that the message duration parameter 506 fora particular ephemeral message 502 has expired, the ephemeral timersystem 202 causes the messaging client application 104 to no longerdisplay an indicium (e.g., an icon or textual identification) associatedwith the ephemeral message 502.

FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram showing components provided withinthe virtual vision system 210, according to some embodiments. Thecomponents themselves are communicatively coupled (e.g., via appropriateinterfaces) to each other and to various data sources, so as to allowinformation to be passed between the applications or so as to allow theapplications to share and access common data. Furthermore, thecomponents access the database 126 via the database server 124. Asillustrated in FIG. 6, the virtual vision system 210 comprises aninterface engine 605, a lens context engine 610, a lens display engine615, and a sensor engine 620. Briefly, the interface engine 605 managesinteracting with the server to retrieve lens object data for newlocations, according to some example embodiments. Further, the interfaceengine 605 is configured to interact with the server to receive a lensobject selected by a lens context engine 610 executing on the server,according to some example embodiments.

The lens context engine 610 receives input parameters and selects a lensobject based on the parameters. The parameters include location data andcontextual data, such as time of day or items recognized in images, asdescribed in further detail below. The lens display engine 615 isconfigured to manage execution of the selected lens objects bydisplaying display elements over live video feed being displayed on theclient device 102, according to some example embodiments.

The sensor engine 620 is configured to manage access to one or moresensors of the client device 102. For example, the sensor engine 620 canaccess a control to activate a backside camera of the client device 102,can access GPS data through a GPS sensor integrated into the clientdevice 102, can access compass data through use of an accelerometer andgyro sensors of client device 102, can create audio data by accessing amicrophone sensor of the client device 102, and can access the userinterface control to visual data of the objects being displayed on thescreen of the client device 102, according to some example embodiments.

According to some embodiments, one or more of the engines in the virtualvision system 210 can be integrated into the server-side context basedaugmented reality system 150 instead of the virtual vision system 210 onthe client side. For example, if the lens context engine 610 is run fromthe server-side, then the client device 102 can generate context data(discussed in FIG. 10), send the context data to lens context engine 610on the server-side, which then selects a lens object based on thereceived context data, as further discussed in FIG. 11.

FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method 700 for implementing the virtualvision system 210, according to some example embodiments. At operation705, the lens context engine 610 identifies a lens object using at leastlocation data provided from the client device 102. For example, the lenscontext engine 610 requests the current location data (e.g.,latitude/longitude) by calling a GPS service integrated in the operatingsystem (OS) of the client device 102. The lens context engine 610 thendetermines whether there are any lenses associated with the retrievedcurrent location data. In some embodiments, lens data is locally storedon the client device 102. In those embodiments, the lens context engine610 then matches the current location with a correspondinglocally-stored lens object. In some embodiments, the lens context engine610 contacts the server-side virtual vision system 210 to identify alens. For example, if the user is in a new geographic area (e.g., newcity), the client device 102 may not have any locally stored lensobjects. As such, the interface engine 605 can submit the currentlocation to the server 140 and receive, as a response, a lens objectfrom the server-side virtual vision system 210.

At operation 710, the lens display engine 615 activates the lens object.In some embodiments, activation of the object includes identifyinggeographic coordinates stored in the object for a nearby physical placeor destination. At operation 715, the sensor engine 620 generatesheading data for the lens object. The heading data includes whichdirection the client device 102 is facing in degrees from North andlatitude/longitude data, according to some example embodiments. Thegeographic coordinates of the physical place are compared to headingdata of the client device 102 to determine how to direct the user to thephysical place. For example, if the physical place is 0.3 miles bearing30 degrees from North, the direction data can be used to select one ormore of the preconfigured display elements of the lens object in thefollowing operation.

At operation 720, the lens display engine 615 displays the displayelements of the selected lens object using the heading data. Continuingthe above example, the lens display engine 615 selects a leftward arrowand displays it on the live feed of the client device 102. Responsive todisplay of the leftward arrow the user may turn his client device 102 sothat its bearing matches the bearing of the physical place (e.g., 30degrees from North). When the physical place is displayed in the livefeed, additional display elements can be overlaid on the live feed. Insome example embodiments, the lens display engine 615 determines thatthe physical place is depicted in the live feed by determining when thebearing of the client device 102 matches that of the physical place.Additionally, the lens display engine 615 can use computer visionalgorithms to actively scan the live feed for image feature data thatmatches the physical place image feature data. The image feature datafor the physical place is included in the lens object data, and when thelens object is selected at operation 705, the image feature data of thephysical place is loaded into computer vision algorithms of the lensdisplay engine 615.

FIG. 12A-12B show example user interfaces 1200 for implementing anexample of the method 700, according to some example embodiments. InFIG. 12A, the client device 102 is a smartphone 1205, which is executingan application (e.g., messaging client application 104) that isdisplaying a live feed 1210 of video captured by a backside camera (notdepicted) of the smartphone 1205. As described above, the applicationdetermines the current location of the smartphone 1205, determines thatthere is a nearby physical place 1215 for which a lens object havingdisplay elements has been preconfigured. The application compares thebearing of the physical place 1215 to the bearing of the smartphone1205, and selects a preconfigured display element 1220 that willminimize the difference between the two bearings. The preconfigureddisplay element 1220 is preconfigured in that it exhibits a designscheme (e.g., Trademarks, color scheme, descriptive text) associatedwith the physical place 1215.

Responsive to the user turning his/her smartphone 1205 in the directionof the display element 1220, eventually the physical place 1215 willappear in the live feed 1210. When the physical place 1215 is in thelive feed 1210, additional preconfigured display elements 1225, such asa trail of cartoon burgers, can show the user the route to the physicalplace 1215. The user interface 1210 further includes a capture imagebutton displayed as a white circle in the center bottom of userinterface 1210. Selecting the capture image button generates a imagewhich can be posted to a social media platform managed from applicationserver 112, through using a share button (not depicted) on the capturedimage. The image can depict the physical place 1215 with thepreconfigured display elements (e.g., display element 1220) overlaid infront of the real world background (e.g., the burger restaurant, beach).In this way, the user can share the image with his/her social mediafriends to indicate the user is going to the physical place 1215,thereby allowing an interactive and share-able approach to navigationusing display elements preconfigured for a physical place 1215. Otheruser interfaces (e.g., those depicted in FIG. 13-11) can likewise beimaged and shared using the same approach.

In some example embodiments, the preconfigured display elements 1220 areoverlaid on the live feed 1210 even if the physical place 1215 iscovered or otherwise obfuscated by other objects. For example, if abuilding is between the user of the client device 102 and the physicalplace 1215, when the user holds the client device 102 up so that thelive feed 1210 shows a view of the building, display elements 1220 and1225 can still be shown to indicate to the user that the physical place1215 is behind the building.

Further, as illustrated, the preconfigured display element 1220 can beupdated to indicate the distance to the physical place 1215 when thesmartphone 1205's bearing matches the physical place 1215's bearing. Inthis way, through seamlessly selecting and displaying preconfigureddisplay elements 1220, 1225, the user experience is made moreinteractive and custom with little to no user action.

FIG. 8 shows a flow diagram of a method 800 for selecting a lens object,according to some example embodiments. Method 800 comprises a moredetailed approach to selecting a lens object. At operation 805, thesensor engine 620 determines the heading of the client device 102. Theheading of the client device 102 can include the direction the clientdevice 102 is facing in degrees with respect to North (e.g., 270 degreesfrom North). Further, in some example embodiments, the heading of theclient device 102 can include geographic location data, such as thecurrent latitude and longitude of the client device 102. At operation810, the lens context engine 610 generates context parameters detailingthe context of the client device 102. The context can include sensoryinputs and time inputs from the client device 102. At operation 815, thelens context engine 610 uses the location data and context parameters toidentify a lens object. Each of the lens objects may be associated witha specified set of one or more context parameters and a given currentlocation of the client device 102. After operation 815, the method mayreturn to operation 720 of FIG. 7 where display elements of theidentified lens object are displayed, as discussed above.

FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method 900 for determining geographicdata, according to some example embodiments. Method. 900 is an exampleembodiment of operation 805. For example, the method 900 may be calledas a sub-routine to complete operation 805. The start bar refers to theinvocation of the method. The end or return bar outputs or otherwisestores the data generated from the preceding operations in memory. Themethod 900 may be referenced using a wrapper function that can be storedon the client device 102 or stored within the sensor engine 620. Callingthe wrapper function executes multiple operations, such as those shownin method 900. At operation 905, the sensor engine 620 determines theheading data for the client device 102, including the geographiclocation of the client device 102 and the bearing of the client device102. In some example embodiments, the GPS sensor of the client device102 is utilized to generate the latitude and longitude data of theclient device 102. Further, a compass sensor of the client device 102 isutilized to determine which direction in degrees the client device 102is facing with respect to North.

At operation 910, the sensor engine 620 determines the general locationor current area of the client device 102. For example, given a latitudeand longitude for the current location, the client device 102 maydetermine that the client device 102 is in the general area of Venice,Calif. In some example embodiments, the latitude and longitude are sentto the server, and the server determines what the general area is forthe client device 102 and returns the information as a response to theclient device 102. Further, according to some example embodiments, thegeneral area need not be a city, but a general area comprising more thanone physical place 1215. For example, the general area may refer to ashopping mall having multiple stores.

At operation 915, the sensor engine 620 determines a sub area locationof the client device 102. The sub-area is an area within the generalarea. For example, if the general area is a city (e.g., San Francisco),the sub-area can be a neighborhood in the city (e.g., Potrero Hill). Asan additional example, if the area is a shopping mall, the sub-area canbe a specific store within the shopping mall. In some exampleembodiments, the sub-areas are determined using the same mechanisms usedto determine the general area (e.g., looking up the data locally on theclient device 102, or sending location data to the server and receivingthe sub-area as a response). Further, according to some exampleembodiments, the sensor engine 620 may determine the sub-area usinglocation data from an enhanced location service, such as Foursquare™, topinpoint the sub-area as a given store within a mall. Briefly,Foursquare™ is a service that can pinpoint a device's location byanalyzing information available to the client device 102, such ascurrent location, connected WiFi networks, nearby/available cell towers,nearby/available WiFi networks, and other information. The enhancedlocation service may be provided from a third party server. The sensorengine 620 sends a request to the server which then retrieves sub-areadata from the third party server through the API server 110. Thesub-area data is then sent back to the sensor engine 620 for furtherprocessing.

FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of a method 1000 for determining contextdata, according to some example embodiments. Method 1000 is an exampleembodiment of operation 810. For example, the method 1000 may be calledas a sub-routine to complete operation 810. The start bar refers to theinvocation of the method. The end or return bar outputs or otherwisestores the data generated from the preceding operations in memory. Themethod 1000 may be referenced using a wrapper function that can bestored on the client device 102 or stored within the sensor engine 620.Calling the wrapper function executes multiple operations, such as thoseshown in method 1000. At operation 1005, the sensor engine 620determines whether the client device 102 is indoors or outdoors based oncomputer vision analysis of the live feed 1210 displayed on the screenof the client device 102. For example, the sensor engine 620 candetermine the light level of the surrounding environment by analyzingthe pixel values of the frames in the live feed 1210. If the pixellevels indicate high levels of light, the sensor engine 620 determinesthat the client device 102 is outside. Whereas if the pixel levelsindicate moderate to low levels of light, the sensor engine 620determines that the client device 102 is inside. At operation 1010, thesensor engine 620 determines the environment (e.g., restaurant, beach,restroom) using audio data generated from the microphone of the clientdevice 102. For example, the sensor engine 620 may use computer visionalgorithms to recognize items being displayed in the live feed 1210. Therecognized items (e.g., pool table, barstools, neon lights) areindicative of the type of the environment (e.g., dive bar) and can laterbe used to select a lens object based on the recognized items. Further,at operation 1010, the sensor engine 620 may access the microphone ofthe client device 102 to analyze audio data from the surroundingenvironment. For example, if the sensor engine 620 determines that theclanking sounds is dishes being clashed together, and there is a loudambient sound level, the sensor engine 620 can then determine that theuser is in a public setting, such as a restaurant. At operation 1015,the sensor engine 620 can further use the item recognition to providecontext without determining the surrounding environment, as discussed infurther detail below. At operation 1020, the sensor engine 620 canrequest the local time of the client device 102. The local time can beused to provide additional context information for selecting time-basedlens objects (e.g., a morning oriented lens object, a happy-hour lensobject, a late-night lens object).

FIG. 11 shows a flow diagram of a method 1100 for determining a lensobject, according to some example embodiments. Method 1100 is an exampleembodiment of operation 815. For example, the method 1100 may be calledas a sub-routine to complete operation 815. The start bar refers to theinvocation of the method. The end or return bar outputs or otherwisestores the data generated from the preceding operations in memory. Themethod 1100 may be referenced using a wrapper function that can bestored on the client device 102 or stored within the sensor engine 620.Calling the wrapper function executes multiple operations, such as thoseshown in method 1100. At operation 1105, the lens context engine 610determines whether the client device 102 is inside or outside. Forexample, the lens context engine 610 can analyze image or pixel datafrom the live feed 1210 and if the pixels are blue or lighting isbright, determine the client device 102 to be outside. If the lenscontext engine 610 determines that the client device 102 is outside,then at operation 1110, the lens context engine 610 selects an outsidelens object for the general area of the current location of the clientdevice 102.

In some example embodiments, if the lens context engine 610 determinesthat the client device 102 is outside but that there are no lens objectsfor the generalized area, then the lens context engine 610 performs asearch (via server 150) for lens objects associated with locations nearto the current location of the client device 102 at operation 1115. Oncea lens object for a nearby location is identified, it can be displayedusing preconfigured display elements 1220, 1225 as discussed withreference to FIGS. 12A and 12B above.

Continuing from decision operation 1105, if lens context engine 610determines that the client device 102 is inside, the lens context engine610 continues to decision operation 1120, where the lens context engine610 analyzes whether the client device 102 is located within a sub-areaof the general area as described above (e.g., by programmaticallyaccessing an enhanced location service through an API). Assuming thatthe client device 102 is inside a sub-area of the general area, themethod continues to operation 1125, where the lens context engine 610determines the sub-area of the client device 102. At operation 1130, thelens context engine 610 determines items depicted in the live feed 1210or image. At operation 1135, the lens context engine 610 determines thelocal time of the client device 102. At operation 1140, the lens contextengine 610 uses the sub-area, the items, and/or the time to select alens object.

Continuing from decision operation 1120, assuming the client device 102is not in a sub-area, then at operation 1145, the lens context engine610 determines items depicted in the live feed 1210 or image. Atoperation 1150, the lens context engine 610 determines the local time ofthe client device 102. At operation 1155, the lens context engine 610selects a lens object using the depicted items and or time.

FIG. 13 shows an example user interface 1300 for implementing anoutdoors related lens object, according to some example embodiments. Thelens object of FIG. 13 is selected at operation 1110 in which the lenscontext engine 610 determines that the client device 120 is outside inthe general area of Venice Beach. The preconfigured display elements forthe selected lens object include a city related display element 1305which recites “Venice”, and an avatar 1310 for the user of the clientdevice 102, which has been preconfigured to show the avatar 1310 on ashopping spree on the main thoroughfare of the general area (e.g., theVenice Boardwalk).

FIG. 14 shows an example user interface 1400 for implementing avariation of a physical place 1215 related lens object, according tosome example embodiments. The lens object of FIG. 14 is selected atoperation 1140 in which the lens context engine 610 determines that theclient device 102 is in a sub-area (a coffee shop), and further that thetime indicates that it is early in the morning. The preconfigureddisplay elements 1220, 1225 include the sub-area descriptor 1405, whichrecites the name of the sub-area (“Mennoti's Coffee Shop”) and shows acoffee shop avatar. Further, the preconfigured display elements includethe avatar 1410 which is preconfigured to show the avatar 1410 assleepy, and further include a time-related phrase such as “GoodMorning”.

FIG. 15 shows an example user interface 1500 for implementing avariation of a physical place 1215 related lens object, according tosome example embodiments. The lens object of FIG. 15 is selected atoperation 1140 in which the lens context engine 610 determines that theclient device 102 is in a sub-area (“Townhouse”), and further that thetime indicates that it is happy hour e.g., 5 PM to 8 PM). Thepreconfigured display elements include the sub-area descriptor 1505,which recites the name of the sub-area (“Townhouse” in a stylized font).Further, the preconfigured display elements include the display element1510 which is preconfigured to show an avatar well-dressed and holding atropical cocktail, and further includes a time-based phrase such as“Happy Hour”.

It is appreciated that the above are only example phrases, the avatar,fonts, etc. are only mere examples of preconfigured elements selectedusing context and other variations can be implemented. For example,instead of “Happy Hour”, which is time related, the phrase might berelated to other features of the sub-area. For example, if Townhouse iswell known for having high quality margaritas, the phrase of displayelement 1510 may recite “Worlds Best Margarita”. Further, if Townhouseis currently having a promotion for the items, the phrase may recite“Margaritas only $1 during happy hour!”, according to some exampleembodiments. Other variations can likewise be implemented.

FIG. 16 shows an example user interface 1600 for implementing avariation of a depicted item related lens object, according to someexample embodiments. The lens object of FIG. 16 is selected viaoperation 1155 of FIG. 11, in which the lens context engine 610 uses thedepicted items 1605 and the time to select a lens object. In FIG. 16,the live feed 1210 displayed on the screen of the client device 102depicts pancakes. The sensor engine 620 at operation 1015 can identifythe depicted items 1605 as eggs and pancakes using locally executedcomputer vision algorithms, or alternatively sending one or more imagesof the items to the server 112, which then can run more rigorouscomputer vision analysis algorithms to identify the depicted items 1605as eggs and pancakes. After the items are identified as eggs andpancakes, the local time retrieved from operation 1150 can additionallybe used to confirm that the time of day is morning. The preconfigureddisplay elements 1610 of FIG. 16 include an avatar of the user,appearing to be waking up and stretching and a phrase “Mornin′”. Otheravatars and phrases can likewise be implemented. In this way,preconfigured display elements 1610 can be used to select an object whenno general area nor sub-area data is available.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating an example software architecture1706, which may be used in conjunction with various hardwarearchitectures herein described. FIG. 17 is a non-limiting example of asoftware architecture, and it will be appreciated that many otherarchitectures may be implemented to facilitate the functionalitydescribed herein. The software architecture 1706 may execute on hardwaresuch as a machine 1800 of FIG. 18 that includes, among other things,processors, memory, and I/O components. A representative hardware layer1752 is illustrated and can represent, for example, the machine 1800 ofFIG. 18. The representative hardware layer 1752 includes a processingunit 1754 having associated executable instructions 1704. The executableinstructions 1704 represent the executable instructions of the softwarearchitecture 1706, including implementation of the methods, components,and so forth described herein. The hardware layer 1752 also includes amemory/storage 1756, which also has the executable instructions 1704.The hardware layer 1752 may also comprise other hardware 1758.

In the example architecture of FIG. 17, the software architecture 1706may be conceptualized as a stack of layers where each layer providesparticular functionality. For example, the software architecture 1706may include layers such as an operating system 1702, libraries 1720,frameworks/middleware 1718, applications 1716, and a presentation layer1714. Operationally, the applications 1716 and/or other componentswithin the layers may invoke application programming interface (API)calls 1708 through the software stack and receive a response in the formof messages 1712. The layers illustrated are representative in natureand not all software architectures have all layers. For example, somemobile or special-purpose operating systems may not provide aframeworks/middleware 1718, while others may provide such a layer. Othersoftware architectures may include additional or different layers.

The operating system 1702 may manage hardware resources and providecommon services. The operating system 1702 may include, for example, akernel 1722, services 1724, and drivers 1726. The kernel 1722 may act asan abstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers.For example, the kernel 1722 may be responsible for memory management,processor management (e.g., scheduling), component management,networking, security settings, and so on. The services 1724 may provideother common services for the other software layers. The drivers 1726are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlyinghardware. For instance, the drivers 1726 include display drivers, cameradrivers, Bluetooth® drivers, flash memory drivers, serial communicationdrivers (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB) drivers), Wi-Fi® drivers,audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth depending on thehardware configuration.

The libraries 1720 provide a common infrastructure that is used by theapplications 1716 and/or other components and/or layers. The libraries1720 provide functionality that allows other software components toperform tasks in an easier fashion than by interfacing directly with theunderlying operating system 1702 functionality (e.g., kernel 1722,services 1724, and/or drivers 1726). The libraries 1720 may includesystem libraries 1744 (e.g., C standard library) that may providefunctions such as memory allocation functions, string manipulationfunctions, mathematical functions, and the like. In addition, thelibraries 1720 may include API libraries 1746 such as media libraries(e.g., libraries to support presentation and manipulation of variousmedia formats such as MPEG-4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, or PNG),graphics libraries (e.g., an OpenGL framework that may be used to render2D and 3D graphic content on a display), database libraries (e.g.,SQLite that may provide various relational database functions), weblibraries (e.g., WebKit that may provide web browsing functionality),and the like. The libraries 1720 may also include a wide variety ofother libraries 1748 to provide many other APIs to the applications 1716and other software components/modules.

The frameworks/middleware 1718 provide a higher-level commoninfrastructure that may be used by the applications 1716 and/or othersoftware components/modules. For example, the frameworks/middleware 1718may provide various graphic user interface (GUI) functions, high-levelresource management, high-level location services, and so forth. Theframeworks/middleware 1718 may provide a broad spectrum of other APIsthat may be utilized by the applications 1716 and/or other softwarecomponents/modules, some of which may be specific to a particularoperating system 1702 or platform.

The applications 1716 include built-in applications 1738 and/orthird-party applications 1740. Examples of representative built-inapplications 1738 may include, but are not limited to, a contactsapplication, a browser application, a book reader application, alocation application, a media application, a messaging application,and/or a game application. The third-party applications 1740 may includean application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software developmentkit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform,and may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such asIOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or other mobile operating systems. Thethird-party applications 1740 may invoke the API calls 1708 provided bythe mobile operating system (such as the operating system 1702) tofacilitate functionality described herein.

The applications 1716 may use built-in operating system functions (e.g.,kernel 1722, services 1724, and/or drivers 1726), libraries 1720, andframeworks/middleware 1718 to create user interfaces to interact withusers of the system. Alternatively, or additionally, in some systems,interactions with a user may occur through a presentation layer, such asthe presentation layer 1714. In these systems, the application/component“logic” can be separated from the aspects of the application/componentthat interact with a user.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine 1800,according to some example embodiments, able to read instructions from amachine-readable medium (e.g., a machine-readable storage medium) andperform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.Specifically, FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic representation of the machine1800 in the example form of a computer system, within which instructions1816 (e.g., software, a program, an application, an applet, an app, orother executable code) for causing the machine 1800 to perform any oneor more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed. As such,the instructions 1816 may be used to implement modules or componentsdescribed herein. The instructions 1816 transform the general,non-programmed machine 1800 into a particular machine 1800 programmed tocarry out the described and illustrated functions in the mannerdescribed. In alternative embodiments, the machine 1800 operates as astandalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) to other machines.In a networked deployment, the machine 1800 may operate in the capacityof a server machine or a client machine in a server-client networkenvironment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed)network environment. The machine 1800 may comprise, but not be limitedto, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), atablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook, a set-top box (STB), apersonal digital assistant (PDA), an entertainment media system, acellular telephone, a smartphone 1205, a mobile device, a wearabledevice (e.g., a smart watch), a smart home device (e.g., a smartappliance), other smart devices, a web appliance, a network router, anetwork switch, a network bridge, or any machine capable of executingthe instructions 1816, sequentially or otherwise, that specify actionsto be taken by the machine 1800. Further, while only a single machine1800 is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include acollection of machines that individually or jointly execute theinstructions 1816 to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein.

The machine 1800 may include processors 1810, memory/storage 1830, andI/O components 1850, which may be configured to communicate with eachother such as via a bus 1802. The memory/storage 1830 may include amemory 1832, such as a main memory, or other memory storage, and astorage unit 1836, both accessible to the processors 1810 such as viathe bus 1802. The storage unit 1836 and memory 1832 store theinstructions 1816 embodying any one or more of the methodologies orfunctions described herein. The instructions 1816 may also reside,completely or partially, within the memory 1832, within the storage unit1836, within at least one of the processors 1810 (e.g., within theprocessor's cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, duringexecution thereof by the machine 1800. Accordingly, the memory 1832, thestorage unit 1836, and the memory of the processors 1810 are examples ofmachine-readable media.

The I/O components 1850 may include a wide variety of components toreceive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information,exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/Ocomponents 1850 that are included in a particular machine 1800 willdepend on the type of machine. For example, portable machines such asmobile phones will likely include a touch input device or other suchinput mechanisms, while a headless server machine will likely notinclude such a touch input device. It will be appreciated that the I/Ocomponents 1850 may include many other components that are not shown inFIG. 18. The I/O components 1850 are grouped according to functionalitymerely for simplifying the following discussion and the grouping is inno way limiting. In various example embodiments, the I/O components 1850may include output components 1852 and input components 1854. The outputcomponents 1852 may include visual components (e.g., a display such as aplasma display panel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, aliquid-crystal display (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)),acoustic components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., avibratory motor, resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and soforth. The input components 1854 may include alphanumeric inputcomponents (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen configured to receivealphanumeric input, a photo-optical keyboard, or other alphanumericinput components), point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, atouchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or other pointinginstruments), tactile input components (e.g., a physical button, a touchscreen that provides location and/or force of touches or touch gestures,or other tactile input components), audio input components (e.g., amicrophone), and the like.

In further example embodiments, the I/O components 1850 may includebiometric components 1856, motion components 1858, environmentcomponents 1860, or position components 1862 among a wide array of othercomponents. For example, the biometric components 1856 may includecomponents to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facialexpressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or eye tracking), measurebiosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature,perspiration, or brain waves), identify a person (e.g., voiceidentification, retinal identification, facial identification,fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram-basedidentification), and the like. The motion components 1858 may includeacceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensorcomponents, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth.The environment components 1860 may include, for example, illuminationsensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components(e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature),humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g.,barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphonesthat detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g.,infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors gas sensors todetect concentrations of hazardous gases for safety or to measurepollutants in the atmosphere), or other components that may provideindications, measurements, or signals corresponding to a surroundingphysical environment. The position components 1862 may include locationsensor components (e.g., a GPS receiver component), altitude sensorcomponents (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure fromwhich altitude may be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g.,magnetometers), and the like.

Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies.The I/O components 1850 may include communication components 1864operable to couple the machine 1800 to a network 1880 or devices 1870via a coupling 1882 and a coupling 1872 respectively. For example, thecommunication components 1864 may include a network interface componentor other suitable device to interface with the network 1880. In furtherexamples, the communication components 1864 may include wiredcommunication components, wireless communication components, cellularcommunication components, near field communication (NFC) components,Bluetooth® components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components,and other communication components to provide communication via othermodalities. The devices 1870 may be another machine or any of a widevariety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via aUniversal. Serial Bus (USB)).

Moreover, the communication components 1864 may detect identifiers orinclude components operable to detect identifiers. For example, thecommunication components 1864 may include radio frequency identification(RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components,optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detectone-dimensional barcodes such as Universal. Product Code (UPC) barcode,multi-dimensional barcodes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Aztec code,Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF418, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2Dbarcode, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components(e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, avariety of information may be derived via the communication components1864, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, locationvia Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting an NFC beaconsignal that may indicate a particular location, and so forth.

Glossary

“CARRIER SIGNAL” in this context refers to any intangible medium that iscapable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions 1816 forexecution by the machine 1800, and includes digital or analogcommunications signals or other intangible media to facilitatecommunication of such instructions 1816. Instructions 1816 may betransmitted or received over the network 1880 using a transmissionmedium via a network interface device and using any one of a number ofwell-known transfer protocols.

“CLIENT DEVICE” in this context refers to any machine 1800 thatinterfaces to a communications network 1880 to obtain resources from oneor more server systems or other client devices 102. A client device 102may be, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop,PDA, smartphone 1205, tablet, ultrabook, netbook, multi-processorsystem, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronicssystem, game console, set-top box, or any other communication devicethat a user may use to access a network 1880.

“COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK” in this context refers to one or more portionsof a network 1880 that may be an ad hoc network, an intranet, anextranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), awireless LAN (WLAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), ametropolitan area network (MAN), the Internet, a portion of theInternet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), aplain old telephone service (POTS) network, a cellular telephonenetwork, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi® network, another type of network,or a combination of two or more such networks. For example, a network ora portion of a network 1880 may include a wireless or cellular networkand the coupling may be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)connection, a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) connection,or another type of cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, thecoupling may implement any of a variety of types of data transfertechnology, such as Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology(1×RTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) technology, General PacketRadio Service (CPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution(EDGE) technology, third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) including3G, fourth generation wireless (4G) networks, Universal MobileTelecommunications System (UMTS), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA),Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long-TermEvolution (LTE) standard, others defined by various standard-settingorganizations, other long-range protocols, or other data transfertechnology.

“EMPHEMERAL MESSAGE” in this context refers to a message 400 that isaccessible for a time-limited duration. An ephemeral message 502 may bea text, an image, a video, and the like. The access time for theephemeral message 502 may be set by the message sender. Alternatively,the access time may be a default setting or a setting specified by therecipient. Regardless of the setting technique, the message 400 istransitory.

“MACHINE-READABLE MEDIUM” in this context refers to a component, adevice, or other tangible media able to store instructions 1816 and datatemporarily or permanently and may include, but is not limited to,random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), buffer memory, flashmemory, optical media, magnetic media, cache memory, other types ofstorage (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM)), and/orany suitable combination thereof. The term “machine-readable medium”should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers)able to store instructions 1816. The term “machine-readable medium”shall also be taken to include any medium, or combination of Multiplemedia, that is capable of storing instructions 1816 (e.g., code) forexecution by a machine 1800, such that the instructions 1816, whenexecuted by one or more processors 1810 of the machine 1800, cause themachine 1800 to perform any one or more of the methodologies describedherein. Accordingly, a “machine-readable medium” refers to a singlestorage apparatus or device, as well as “cloud-based” storage systems orstorage networks that include multiple storage apparatus or devices. Theterm “machine-readable medium” excludes signals per se.

“COMPONENT” in this context refers to a device, a physical entity, orlogic having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branchpoints, APIs, or other technologies that provide for the partitioning ormodularization of particular processing or control functions. Componentsmay be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry outa machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardwareunit designed for use with other components and a part of a program thatusually performs a particular function of related functions. Componentsmay constitute either software components (e.g., code embodied on amachine-readable medium) or hardware components. A “hardware component”is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may beconfigured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In various exampleembodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computersystem, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one ormore hardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor 1812 ora group of processors 1810) may be configured by software (e.g., anapplication or application portion) as a hardware component thatoperates to perform certain operations as described herein. A hardwarecomponent may also be implemented mechanically, electronically, or anysuitable combination thereof. For example, a hardware component mayinclude dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured toperform certain operations. A hardware component may be aspecial-purpose processor, such as a field-programmable gate array(FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A hardwarecomponent may also include programmable logic or circuitry that istemporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. Forexample, a hardware component may include software executed by ageneral-purpose processor or other programmable processor. Onceconfigured by such software, hardware components become specificmachines (or specific components of a machine 1800) uniquely tailored toperform the configured functions and are no longer general-purposeprocessors 1810. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement ahardware component mechanically, in dedicated and permanently configuredcircuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured bysoftware) may be driven by cost and time considerations. Accordingly,the phrase “hardware component” (or “hardware-implemented component”)should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entitythat is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g.,hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in acertain manner or to perform certain operations described herein.

Considering embodiments in which hardware components are temporarilyconfigured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware components need notbe configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example,where a hardware component comprises a general-purpose processor 1812configured by software to become a special-purpose processor, thegeneral-purpose processor 1812 may be configured as respectivelydifferent special-purpose processors (e.g., comprising differenthardware components) at different times. Software accordingly configuresa particular processor 1812 or processors 1810, for example, toconstitute a particular hardware component at one instance of time andto constitute a different hardware component at a different instance oftime.

Hardware components can provide information to, and receive informationfrom, other hardware components. Accordingly, the described hardwarecomponents may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Wheremultiple hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications maybe achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuitsand buses) between or among two or more of the hardware components. Inembodiments in which multiple hardware components are configured orinstantiated at different times, communications between or among suchhardware components may be achieved, for example, through the storageand retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiplehardware components have access. For example, one hardware component mayperform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memorydevice to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardwarecomponent may then, at a later time, access the memory device toretrieve and process the stored output. Hardware components may alsoinitiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate ona resource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various operations of example methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors 1810 that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors 1810 may constitute processor-implementedcomponents that operate to perform one or more operations or functionsdescribed herein. As used herein, “processor-implemented component”refers to a hardware component implemented using one or more processors1810. Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partiallyprocessor-implemented, with a particular processor 1812 or processors1810 being an example of hardware. For example, at least some of theoperations of a method may be performed by one or more processors 1810or processor-implemented components. Moreover, the one or moreprocessors 1810 may also operate to support performance of the relevantoperations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a “software as aservice” (SaaS). For example, at least some of the operations may beperformed by a group of computers (as examples of machines 1800including processors 1810), with these operations being accessible via anetwork 1880 (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriateinterfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the operationsmay be distributed among the processors 1810, not only residing within asingle machine 1800, but deployed across a number of machines 1800. Insome example embodiments, the processors 1810 or processor-implementedcomponents may be located in a single geographic location (e.g., withina home environment, an office environment, or a server farm). In otherexample embodiments, the processors 1810 or processor-implementedcomponents may be distributed across a number of geographic locations.

“PROCESSOR” in this context refers to any circuit or virtual circuit (aphysical circuit emulated by logic executing on an actual processor1812) that manipulates data values according to control signals (e.g.,“commands”, “op codes”, “machine code”, etc.) and which producescorresponding output signals that are applied to operate a machine 1800.A processor may, for example, be a central processing unit (CPU), areduced instruction set computing (RISC) processor, a complexinstruction set computing (CISC) processor, a graphics processing unit(GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a radio-frequencyintegrated circuit (RFIC), or any combination thereof. A processor 1810may further be a multi-core processor 1810 having two or moreindependent processors 1812, 1814 (sometimes referred to as “cores”)that may execute instructions 1816 contemporaneously.

“TIMESTAMP” in this context refers to a sequence of characters orencoded information identifying when a certain event occurred, forexample giving date and time of day, sometimes accurate to a smallfraction of a second.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever. The following notice applies to the software and dataas described below and in the drawings that form a part of thisdocument: Copyright 2017, SNAP INC., All Rights Reserved.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: one or more processors of amachine; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the machine to perform operationscomprising: determine, on a client device, a lens virtual object basedat least in part on a current geographic location of the client device,the lens virtual object specifying one or more display elementspreconfigured for a physical place near the current geographic locationof the client device; determine heading data using at least the currentgeographic location of the client device and a destination geographiclocation of the physical place specified in the identified lens virtualobject, the current geographic location generated, at least in part, bycalling one or more location services of the client device, the headingdata specifying a direction of the destination geographic locationrelative to a current orientation of the client device; and cause apresentation, on one or more images displayed on the client device, adirection display element from the one or more preconfigured displayelements, the direction display element indicating the direction of thedestination geographic location relative to the current orientation ofthe client device.
 2. The system of claim 1, the operations furthercomprising: identify an update to the heading data that indicates thephysical place is in a field of view of the one or more images, theupdate to the heading data caused in response to physical movement ofthe client device; and responsive to the physical place being in thefield of view of the one or more images, display one or more physicalplace display elements from the preconfigured display elements thatindicate a location of the physical place in the one or more images. 3.The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising: receive, froman additional client device, the preconfigured display elements for thedestination geographic location of the physical place.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the preconfigured display elements are preconfigured todisplay a design scheme of a business associated with the physicalplace.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the design scheme comprises oneor more trademarked design schemes of the business, including at leastone of: color schemes, one or more logos, and one or more words.
 6. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the physical place is obfuscated in the fieldof view by one or more physical objects, and wherein the physical placedisplay elements are overlaid over the one or more physical objects. 7.The system of claim 1, wherein each of the lens virtual objects areconfigured to call one or more location services of the client deviceusing a wrapper function that specifies a plurality of location servicesof an operating system executing on the client device.
 8. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the current geographic location includes latitude andlongitude data generated by a GPS sensor of the client device, andwherein the destination geographic location comprises latitude andlongitude data of the physical location.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein the direction display element indicates the direction using apointer display element.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein theoperations that determine the heading data use operations comprising:identifying, using the one or more location services, an absolutebearing of the physical place; and dynamically updating the heading datausing an orientation sensor on the client device as the client device isphysically moved.
 11. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations thatindicate the physical place is in the one or more images feed useoperations comprising: determining that a current orientation of theclient device coincides with a bearing of the physical place.
 12. Thesystem of claim 2, wherein the operations that indicate the physicalplace is in the one or more images feed use operations comprising:determining a difference between a current orientation of the clientdevice and the bearing of the physical place.
 13. The system of claim 1,wherein the one or more images is a video feed displayed on the displaydevice as frames of the video feed are generated, and wherein thephysical place display elements are dynamically displayed on the framesof the video feed.
 14. A method comprising: determining, on a clientdevice using at least one processor, a lens virtual object based, atleast in part, on a current geographic location of the client device,the lens virtual object specifying one or more display elementspreconfigured for a physical place near the current geographic locationof the client device; determining heading data using at least thecurrent geographic location of the client device and a destinationgeographic location of the physical place specified in the identifiedlens virtual object, the current geographic location generated, at leastin part, by calling one or more location services of the client device,the heading data specifying a direction of the destination geographiclocation relative to a current orientation of the client device; andcausing a presentation, on one or more images displayed on the clientdevice, of a direction display element from the one or morepreconfigured display elements, the direction display element indicatingthe direction of the destination geographic location relative to thecurrent orientation of the client device.
 15. The method of claim 14,the operations further comprising: identifying an update to the headingdata that indicates the physical place is in a field of view of the oneor more images, the update to the heading data caused in response tophysical movement of the client device; and responsive to the physicalplace being in the field of view of the one or more images, display oneor more physical place display elements from the preconfigured displayelements that indicate a location of the physical place in the one ormore images feed.
 16. The method of claim 14, the operations furthercomprising: receiving, from an additional client device, thepreconfigured display elements for the destination geographic locationof the physical place.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein thepreconfigured display elements are preconfigured to display a designscheme of a business associated with the physical place.
 18. The methodof claim 17, wherein the design scheme comprises one or more trademarkeddesign schemes of the business, including at least one of: colorschemes, one or more logos, and one or more words.
 19. Amachine-readable storage device embodying instructions that, whenexecuted by a machine, cause the machine to perform operationscomprising: determining, on a client device, a lens virtual objectbased, at least in part, on a current geographic location of the clientdevice, the lens virtual object specifying one or more display elementspreconfigured for a physical place near the current geographic locationof the client device; determining heading data using at least thecurrent geographic location of the client device and a destinationgeographic location of the physical place specified in the identifiedlens virtual object, the current geographic location generated, at leastin part, by calling one or more location services of the client device,the heading data specifying a direction of the destination geographiclocation relative to a current orientation of the client device; andcausing a presentation, on one or more images displayed on the clientdevice, a direction display element from the one or more preconfigureddisplay elements, the direction display element indicating the directionof the destination geographic location relative to the currentorientation of the client device.
 20. The machine-readable storagedevice of claim 19, the operations further comprising: identifying anupdate to the heading data that indicates the physical place is in afield of view of the one or more images, the update to the heading datacaused in response to physical movement of the client device; andresponsive to the physical place being in the field of view of the oneor more images, displaying one or more physical place display elementsfrom the preconfigured display elements that indicate a location of thephysical place in the one or more images feed.